GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines Baseball team and New Mexico Highlands combined to score 34 runs on 42 hits during Monday's series finale as the Orediggers rallied to a 19-15 win while completing the four-game sweep of NMHU at Jim Darden Field.
 
Evan Bilter and Wayne Moeck provided a pair of four-hit performances, both hitting .667 in the offensive explosion. Bilter scored once and drove in four while fielding 1.000 at first base. Moeck scored twice and added two RBI with an outfield assist as well. Jackson Babcock and Andrew Mason brought some power to the party, smacking one home run each. That same duo scored three runs apiece and combined for three RBI. Also notable were two doubles from Tyler Easter and doubles off the respective bats of Bilter, Canon Humphreys, and Babcock. Every starting hitter for Mines (10-15, 5-3 RMAC) notched at least one hit, and eight of nine starting hitters had at least two hits. Gael Bernal had a home run for New Mexico Highlands (8-16, 0-8 RMAC).
 
Cade Burghardt was the starting pitcher, but took no decision as he departed after recording two outs. Seaver Newby (5-1) was the winning pitcher thanks to 5.0 innings of three-run, nine-hit relief. Newby struck out six and walked zero. Luke Parker and Sam Monk also came out of the bullpen for the Orediggers. Jimi Welsher was the Cowboys starter who also took no decision. Tyler Sunstrom (1-1) wore the loss in relief due to four runs on three hits and two walks.
 
As a team, Mines produced a .512 batting average and .767 slugging percentage thanks to five doubles and two home runs. New Mexico Highlands combined to hit .455 and matched the Orediggers' five doubles with one home run as well. Two stolen bases bolstered the home team's efforts on offense. In the field, the Orediggers committed two errors and NMHU only had one. On the mound, Mines' pitchers worked through an 11.00 staff ERA by striking out eight and walking just two batters. The Cowboys' arms worked four strikeouts, four walks, and hit four batters.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first batter of the game was Gael Bernal for New Mexico Highlands and he set the tone with a leadoff, wind-aided home run. By the time Mines got its first chance to hit, NMHU had built a 5-0 lead. The Orediggers didn't find the scoreboard until the second inning when Babcock hit a solo home run. Easter laid down a sacrifice bunt in the same inning to score Moeck and make the score 5-2. Four more Cowboys runs in the third pushed their cushion to 9-2. But an RBI-single for Bilter and Andrews' two-run bomb in the bottom of the third inning kept Mines close at 9-5. In the fourth and fifth frames, the visitors stacked four more runs and put a 13-5 deficit in front of the home team, but the Oreidggers were up for the task.
 
Mines started its rally in the bottom of the fifth inning. Doubles from Babcock and Easter helped put a three on the scoreboard. Two more Oredigger runs in the sixth inning came courtesy of a Moeck single, scoring Andrews, and a NMHU miscue which allowed Babcock across the plate. Going into the seventh inning, Mines only trailed by a 13-10 margin. But, right before the stretch, the Cowboys plated two more and pulled to a 15-10 advantage. It was nine runs in the bottom of the seventh that doomed New Mexico Highlands and drove the Orediggers to eventual victory. Those nine runs came on six hits with no errors. Base knocks in the frame were provided by Humphreys, Bilter, Tyler Hummel, Easter, Jackson Woolwine, and Bilter again. Those, combined with a sprinkle of walks and hit batters, fueled Mines' surge to a 19-15 lead. Newby stayed the course on the mound in the eighth and ninth inning. No more runs were scored, the damage was done, and the Orediggers pulled off the improbable victory and a sweep of the weekend series.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is now 43-32 against New Mexico Highlands since 2008.
- In the same span, the Orediggers are 27-7 when hosting the Cowboys.
- Babcock's home run was his sixth of the season and of his career at Mines.
- Andrews hit his fourth home run of 2025 and 42nd of his career. He's now five long balls shy of breaking Mikey Gangwish's program record for career home runs.
- Andrews also ranks fourth in Mines history with 176 career runs scored. He's reached that number with 176 career hits. His 148 career RBI rank #5 in program history.
- Woolwine stole two bases on Monday. That moved him to 51 for his collegiate career. He's just the fourth Oredigger to surpass 50 stolen bases.
- Newby's five wins on the mound in 2025 are currently #1 in the RMAC. He also leads the conference in innings pitched.
- Oredigger Head Coach Robby Bales is now 156-120 in his seventh season leading Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The next action for Mines will be a four-game RMAC series at MSU Denver this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Free live stats and video on the RMAC Network will be offered at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines baseball on "X" (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @OrediggersBSB. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, "X" and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.